A Stepsister's Tale The Real Cinderella Story
by Fimbrethile
Summary: Cinderella's stepsisters reveal the truth behind the myth


A STEPSISTER'S TALE   
  
The real story behind the Cinderella myth  
  
Note: Although the following story is in the first person, this account and all its characters are entirely fictional.  
  
When I was old enough to read my great-grandmother Driselle's journals, I discovered that I am the direct descendent of the people most of you know as Cinderella's wicked stepmother and stepsisters. Here's the real story, from a summary of my great-grandmother's journal entries.  
  
My great-grandmother Driselle and her sister, Nicole, grew up in France. Driselle's mother (my great-great grandmother Anne) was an educated and charming woman. Driselle's father was devoted to all of his family, and generous to anyone in need. He died unexpectedly in a street accident and left his widow and daughters desperately poor.  
  
Driselle's family was very popular in their small community. And although Anne was not beautiful, she was pleasant and charming. Well-meaning neighbors often asked each other if they knew of any gentlemen who might be in need of a nice, ready-made family. The local butcher had a second cousin with a friend whose brother had recently been widowed. Driselle's mother and he were introduced and an offer of marriage was made. His name was Andre, and he had a daughter named Ella (but you probably know her as "Cinderella").  
  
The two families met only once prior to the marriage. Andre impressed Driselle as a man who wanted nothing more than to be left alone. Ella was very pretty, intelligent and graceful. Andre and Ella owned a large farm and Andre was concerned that Ella had no local friends that were as educated or cultured as she was. Andre commented so frequently on how wonderful it was that all the girls were so close in background and age (Driselle was 11, Ella was 10, and Driselle's sister, Nicole, was 9) that Driselle wondered if he were capable of noticing anything else about any of them.  
  
Ella was almost the complete opposite of her father. She was interested in everything about Driselle and Nicole. Ella asked about what books they enjoyed, examined their wardrobes and needlework minutely, and insisted on hearing both girls play their instruments and sing. Her interest was flattering at first, but Driselle thought she saw a glimmer or something like triumph in Ella's eyes whenever she spotted a frayed hem or a missed stitch, or heard a fumbled note.  
  
Over the next few weeks, Driselle, Nicole and their mother talked quietly about Andre and Ella. Driselle and her sister did not want to leave their comfortable community and move to the other side of France. Anne had to finally explain that there was no other way for them to survive, short of hiring themselves out as servants. Perhaps Andre and Ella were cold or odd, but surely they were not evil, and the girls could continue their studies and gentle lifestyle as members of that family.  
  
Apparently, Andre had never really asked his daughter whether or not she was lonely or wanted sisters of her own age and breeding. She was, in fact, quite satisfied with her situation. She was jealous of Driselle and Nicole before she ever met them. During the weeks between meeting her new family and their arrival at the estate, Ella's anger and jealousy grew stronger. It was her home, her friends, her father! She used the intervening weeks to set a trap for her new stepfamily.  
  
Driselle, Nicole and Anne moved into Andre's estate several weeks later. At their first social gathering with the nearby gentry, Driselle and Nicole discovered that society was expecting them to be ugly, mean and stupid. Whenever they spoke, people would try to hide snickers, and roll their eyes. Nothing they said or did could turn the bad feelings everyone had for them when they arrived. Every flaw they had, however minor, was exaggerated and discussed with great relish. Driselle and Nicole eventually gave up any hope of being happy in that society. They chose not to attend gatherings rather than attend and be subjected to both subtle and overt ridicule.   
  
Over the next six years, Driselle rarely wrote in her journals. Her entries suggest a steady decline in the hope and happiness of the whole family. Ella, although she was prettier than either Nicole or Driselle, became quietly enraged whenever either girl got any attention or had any sort of accomplishment. When the son of the local greengrocer showed an interest in Nicole, Ella befriended the merchant class in the town. She whispered tragic tales to them of being treated cruelly by both girls, of stolen clothing, being made to do more than her fair share of the chores and a wicked stepmother who hated her and tried to advance her own daughters ahead of Ella in society. After that, not even the stable boy would so much as return a smile from either Driselle or Nicole.   
  
Anne's old friends in her hometown had not forgotten her or her daughter's. A nobleman in the area had decided to give a ball in honor of his son John's return from a tour of duty with the French Army. Anne saw the ball as a place where her daughters could meet people who had not been poisoned by gossip against them. The problem was that their old friends, not knowing the situation, had also invited Ella and Andre.  
  
Anne tried to discourage Ella and Andre from attending the ball. But Ella had read the letter that was enclosed in the invitation. She knew the family was well thought of in their hometown. She would let nothing stand in her way of being at that ball to spread her vicious lies about her stepmother and sisters to that community also. By appealing to Ella's fondness for coming late so as to attract as much attention as possible, Anne managed to arrange for herself and her daughters to arrive at the ball in separate carriages.  
  
Driselle and Nicole were having a wonderful time at the ball when Ella showed up two hours late. She made a spectacular entrance, catching one of her too-tight slippers in the beads at the hem of her gown, then trying to catch herself by grabbing John, the nobleman's son, who fell sideways into a waiter who then spilled water all over the four guests who were standing nearby.   
  
Driselle and Nicole happened to be among the guests who were splashed with water. The other two were John's older brothers, and also sons of the nobleman. After the initial shock, all four of them felt wonderfully free as there was no longer any need to take care of their expensive ball clothes. They went outside and walked in the nobleman's magnificent gardens, played in the fountains, and laughed and talked all night.   
  
In the meantime, Ella had decided that marrying John would be perfect way to hurt her sisters. Ella convinced John to walk outside with her, but while they were on the main staircase, she pretended to twist her ankle. Then, of course, John had to remove her slipper and massage her ankle to see if it was broken. When John's Great-Aunt Blanche happened upon this scene she said something along the lines of, "first falling into him and now getting your ankle in his hands. Have you no shame, girl?" At this Ella became so flustered that she ran straight to her carriage without bothering to pick up her slipper. She ordered the driver to take her home as fast as he could force the horses to run. Ella was grateful she'd never mentioned her name to anyone.  
  
John's brothers were planning to start a business venture in America. They continued to see Driselle and Nicole often. By then end of a month, Driselle and Nicole were both engaged to be married, and looking forward to happy lives full of wonderful adventures in the New World.  
  
John's Great-Aunt Blanche was furious with his foolish behavior the night of the ball. To stop her from chiding him, he declared his desire to marry the girl whose ankle he'd massaged at the ball. One of the kitchen maids, who was ever after known by everyone as "John's fairy godmother," finally got Ella's name and address and gave it to John. They were married, and Great Aunt Blanche moved in with them to keep an eye on both of them.  
  
Driselle and Nicole got married to John's brothers and raised happy, healthy families in America. They all lived happily ever after.   
  
On rainy days in France, Ella sometimes tried to tell her Cinder-Ella stories, but the local people always loudly called her a liar, because they knew Driselle's family.  
  
On rainy days in America, Driselle and Nicole would sometimes raise their teacups to Ella's too-tight slippers, and share a secret smile of triumph. 


End file.
